Screwless globe holder



June 1 1926. 1,586,748

R. J. JOHNSTQN SCREWLES S GLOBE HOLDER Filed Nov. 28, 1923 WITNESSES: INVENTOR Ric/60rd J (/o/mstolzi 1Z4 M BY AI'TORNEY Patented June l, 1925?.

UNITED STATES PATENT flFFlCE.

RICHARD J". JOHNSTON, OF SOUTH BEND, Il l'DIANA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 86 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SCREWLESS GLOBE HOLDER.

Application filed November 23, 1923. Serial No. 677,561.

My invention relates to globe holders for lighting fixtures, more particularly to the type of holder used with globes of large size, or with globes which are cumbersome to handle.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a holder which shall positively support the globe and hold it in place and at the same time yield to small changesin the. size and shape of the globe of the nature of distortions, expansions and contractions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a holder which may be quickly and conveniently operated to clamp the globe in place, without danger of breakage on account of excessive local pressure.

Attempts have been made to provide globe holders possessing the advantages of quick positive operation and an accommodation for small changes in the size and shape oi the globe. Such a holder which secures the globe in place by a plurality of screws is ditlicult to adjust and is a rigid connection I which does not admit of self adjustment.

Improperly adjusted screws often result in breaking the globe owing to expansion by the heat. In another form of holder the globe is attached to the shell by means of a single central screw connection. This connection does not admit of self adjustment.

and an improper adjustment may likewise result in breaking the globe.

In my new structure, I employ a set of springs which act to lock the globe in the holder and at the same time to adjust themselves to the shape and size of the globe. IVhen the globe expands and contracts upon heating and cooling the springs restrain,but permit, movement. In the same manner, the springs adjust themselves to irregularities in the shape of the globe. Furthermore, in attaching the globe the springs are simultaneously operated to lock the globe in the holder by the simple movement of one ring over another. In this way the globe is locked in position in a single manual operation and at the same time no excessive pressure tending to break the globe is brought to bear at any point.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts;

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my globe holder;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken alon the line 1r rr of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and shows means for guarding the locking element; and I Fig. at is a similar view showing a modification of the invention.

The shell. 1 0t the'holder which terminates in ring 8 is provided with a movable ring 2 which is held in place by means of a bead 3 on the lower edge of ring 8, and by one or more pins a and slots 5. Pin 4 and slot also serve the purpose of limiting the movement of the ring 2. Pins 6 and 12 are at tached to the movable ring 2 and cooperate with pin l in moving the rings to the locked and unlocked positions. The spring 7 is the locking element and is caused to engage or release the globe by the co -action of rings 2 and 8. I

In Figures 6 and -l modifications are shown by means of which the spring is onclosed in the ring and protected. In Fig. 3, the spring is protected by a cover 9, and in Fig. l, the spring 7 is actuated by a cam 10 attached to the inside of the outer ring 8.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, one end of the V shaped locking spring 7 is rigidly attached to the movable ring 8. The spring is shown in the unlocked position in which the bowed portion of the spring extends through corresponding apertures in both rings 2 and 8 and the free end of the spring 7 rests against the ring 8.

lVhen the globe 11 is lifted into the position shown in Fig. 1, the flanged edge of the globe extends above springs 7. The looking or fastening is done by sliding the movable ring over the fixed ring. Projections t and 6 which are provided for this purpose are operated with the thumb and linger by drawing projections i and 6 as near to each other as slot 5 will permit. The resultant sliding of ring 2 over ring 8 causes spring 7 to engage the edge of ring 2 and to be pressed inwardly. The free end of spring 7 presses against the'globe and positively fastens it but at the same time the spring will yield and allow the globe a limited freedom of movement.

A reverse movement of the rings is. made by pressing projections a and 12 into the position shown in the drawings. Like the previous operation, the globe is unlocked by pressing the projections together with the thumb and finger. In this position the aperture. on the movable ring corresponds with the aperture on the fixed ring and allows the spring T to return to its former position. In Fig. 3. a guard 9 protects the. N JilllQ from an accidental operation.

in the modification shown in Fig. 4, the spring which is of a slightly different shape from the previous structure, is attached at one end to the inner ring 2 and a portion of the spring bears against a cam member 10 located on the inside of the outer ring 8.

By pressing projections 4; and 6 together with the thumb and finger, the spring 7 is moved over the cam 10 so that portion 16 of the spring rests in the depression 1d of the cam. The locked position of-the spring is that shown by' the dotted lines and it is retained in that position by the humps on either side of the depression 14. Noaccidental jarring will cause the lamp holder to return to the unlocked position. The holder can only be moved to the unlocked position by forcing the projections 4 and 12 into the position shown in Fig. 1 as previously described. This movement brings the portion 1(5 of the spring into the depression 10 of the cam and allows the spring 7 to disengage the globe. 7

It will be noted that my invention prc=- vides a globe holder which combines several improven'ients. First, the globe is positively and securely clamped in the desired position and at the same time provision is always present for the expansion and contraction of the globe, thus preventing breakage of the globe. Second, means are provided to bring a plurality of locking springs into use by a. simple, single operation. Third, while this globe holder requires a minimum number of operations to clamp the globe in place, the yielding locking device absolutely prevents nndue pressure which would tend to break the globe.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention. I do not limit it thereto since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Such, for example, as the substitution of a round for the fiat spring and the substitution of a ca m of a difi'erent contour from the one shown in Fig. 4 may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed cla ms.

I claim as my invention 1. A globe holder comprising afixed member having an opening in a late 'al portion thereof, a resiiient gripping finger exteriorly disposed on said fixed member, a movable member exteriorly disposed on said fixed member and provided with a cam for cooperating with said finger and means in said cam whereby a relatively concentric displacement of said movable and fixed members in one direction thrusts said spring inwardly through said opening for engaging a globe and a movement in the other direction permits disengagement of said globe.

2. it globe holder comprising a fixed member having openings in a lateral portion thereof, resilient gripping fingers exteriorl disposed on said fixed member, a movable member exteriorly disposed on said fixed member and provided with cams for cooperating with said fingers and means in said cams whereby a relatively concentric displacement of said movable and fixed members in one direction thrusts said springs inwardly through said openings for engaging a globe and a movement in the other direction permits disengagement of said globe.

A globe holder comprising a fixed member having an opening in a lateral portion thereof, a gripping finger exteriorly disposed on said fixed member, said finger being formed of a flexible material and having a, pin 'ality of arcuate bends therein, an outer movable member provided with a cam for cooperating with said arcnately bent finger, means in said cam whereby a relatively concentric displacement of said movable and fixed members in one direction causes said finger to be thrust inwardly through said opening for engaging a globe and a reverse movement permits disengagement thereof, and means in said finger and cam members for retaining said finger in locked engagement.

at. A globe holder comprising a fixed member having openings in a. lateral portion thereof, gripping fingers exteriorly disposed on said fixed member, said fingers being formed of a flexible material and having a plurality of arcuate bends therein, an outer movable member provided with cams for cooperating with said arcuately bent fingers, means in said cams whereby a relatively concentric displacement of said movable and fixed members in one direction causes said fingers to be thrust inwardly through said openings for engaging portions of said globe and a reverse movement permits disengagement thereot, and means in said finger and cam members for retaining said fingers in locked engagement. i

5. A globe holder comprising a fixed ring. a movable ring, a locking spring and a cam on one of the rings cooperating with the other ring to force the spring into the locked position and means in said cam for retaining the spring and movable ring in the locked position.

6. A globe holder comprising a fixed ring, a movable ring, a locking spring rigidly at tached to the fixed ring, means on the inovable ring cooperating with the fixed ring to force the spring into the locked position and means in said cam for preventing movement of said movable ring to release position.

7. A globe holder comprising a fixed ring, movable ring, a locking spring rigidly at tached to the movable ring, a cam on the fixed ring cooperating with the movable ring to force the spring into the locked position, and means in said cam and spring for preventing an unintentional return of the movable members to an unlocked position.

8. A globe holder comprising' a fixed ring, a movable ring, a locking spring eXt-eriorly attached to one of the rings, means on said movable ring to actuate said locking spring, means to manually operate said movable ring into the locked and the unlocked position and means in said spring and cam restricting an unintentional return of the parts to release position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd day of November, 1928.

RICHARD J. JOHNSTON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,586,748, granted June 1, 1926, upon the application of Richard J. Johnston, of South Bend, Indiana, for an improvement in Screwless Globe Holders, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, lines 17 and 18, claim 8, strike out the Word restricting and insert instead for restraining; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Otfice.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of June, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

